Mira-Bhayandar: MBMC On Radar For Stamp Duty Evasions

The state government authorities have deputed a special team of officials from the Department of Registration and Stamps to conduct an audit of Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) records to check if there were any type of anomalies or duty evasion.

The action followed in response to complaints registered with the revenue department and other agencies by residents including Amol Rakvi, Pradeep Jangam, Krishna Gupta and Ajay Dhokha alleging massive irregularities and stamp duty evasion in the affairs of the MBMC causing multi-crore losses to the state exchequer.

The team from the registration and stamps department, which comprises a deputy inspector general, joint district registrar, assistant town planner, sub-registrar and a senior clerk, have been directed to conduct an audit and submit its findings before March 15.

As per the Maharashtra Stamp Act, municipal corporations are mandated to levy stamp duty on legal documents as per the value/amount determined in the schedules of the said act on transactions like awarding transfer development rights (TDR), execution of developmental work contracts, lease/ license deeds, transfer and development agreements.

However, it has been alleged that most transactions have either remained non-registered for stamp duty or have been undervalued causing a huge dent in revenue generation for state government and wrongful gains to some civic and private persons.